Tesla’s solar roof tiles cost the same as a nice roof, and you can preorder right now

Tesla may be known for its insanely fast cars, but the company’s overarching goal is to become an innovative energy company that changes the way the world generates and uses energy. Indeed, this was the driving force behind the company’s recent decision to change its name from Tesla Motors to Tesla Inc.

Regarding Tesla’s energy ambitions, Elon Musk explained the following in part-two of Tesla’s master plan: “The point of all this was, and remains, accelerating the advent of sustainable energy, so that we can imagine far into the future and life is still good.”

The tiles will convert sunlight into electricity and be offered in several styles. The “black glass smooth” and “textured” tiles will be available first, and the company will begin selling the “Tuscan” and “French slate” tiles in six months, he said.

“When you have this installed on your house you will have the best-looking roof in the neighborhood,” Musk said. “I think the aesthetics are that good.”

Tesla claims that its roof tiles are up to three times stronger than ordinary tiles you’d find on a standard house, which is why the company is offering users “the best warranty in the industry – the lifetime of your house, or infinity, whichever comes first.”

If you want to get your hands on Tesla’s futuristic roof tiles, you’ll need to put down a refundable $1,000 as a deposit and the total cost will be about $20 per square foot.

If you hop on over to Tesla’s Solar Roof page, you can learn how much money you’ll save with a Solar Roof over the years. Notably, only 70% of a roof will include solar tiles, and customers can decide how they want to calibrate the mix between solar roof tiles and non-solar roof tiles.